A New Miko and a Past Life
by FalTen
Summary: COMPLETE!!!! Chap. 17! The story is over! Now for the second season. I want ice cream. And reviews!
1. The Story Begins

Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yûgi (though owning Tasuki might be nice =P) This is the first chapter but it pretty much sets the stage. This is my friend Himitsu's idea and she gets the credit too. R&R please!  
  
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"Carrie! You'll be late for school!"  
  
A girl rushed past, grabbing a slice of toast from the toaster and running out the door, barely catching the bus. Sighing, she ate her quick breakfast and took a quick rest before the bus finally stopped at the school. Filing into the aisle and finally arriving at her first class, she collapsed into her seat.  
  
"Hey, Carrie, we're doing a ritual tonight. Coming?" Kyra asked, a girl who sat beside her.  
  
Carrie looked at them in confusion. "A ritual?" She blinked in confusion, and then remembered. "All Hallows Eve! I nearly forgot about it!"  
  
"How can you forget about Halloween?" Suki asked in dismay, shaking her head. "Well, since it's when the barrier is thinnest, we decided to do some scrying on past lives along with the ritual. And what's even cooler is, it's a Friday with a full moon. How can you miss it?"  
  
"Not easily, I'm there!" Carrie responded.  
  
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot," Kyra said and began rummaging in her book bag. "Here it is!" She pulled out a book with bright red binding. "You read Korean, right?"  
  
"Yeah, a little," Carrie replied and took the book, looking over a few pages. "It isn't Korean. It must be Chinese or some other language. I can't read it."  
  
"Oh, come on," Suki urged. "You've seen a little Chinese too, I know it. Try and read it."  
  
"A little, meaning only a few words. I'll try at the ritual." She put it in her own bag.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Carrie, we're almost ready," Kyra called. Carrie was looking at the cover.  
  
"Now look what you did, Kyra," Suki scolded playfully. "She's obsessed with it."  
  
"Maybe...maybe I can ask the deities to allow me to read it..." Carrie mumbled.  
  
"Well, if anyone could, you could," Kyra said gently. "Don't worry, we'll perform the ceremony, I don't think She'll mind if you do it at a later time."  
  
"We gotta do it now then," Suki said, looking up at the moon overhead. But Carrie paid them no more heed. She held two fingers up, index and middle, in a concentration point. She forced all of her energy in this one spot. She felt her will get stronger, then go beyond the point on her fingers to the book.  
  
Nothing happened, and she tried harder. The book suddenly spilled forth with bright red light that surrounded. The other girls fled about ten feet away.  
  
"No way," Kyra remarked.  
  
"Carrie!" Suki yelled. Carrie's eyes opened quickly. The bright red light took form, the form of the legendary phoenix and hovered over her. The book floated at eye level. Shakily, Carrie reached out to it.  
  
"No! Don't touch it!" Kyra yelled, but the light intensified until it was blinding. The two girls shielded their eyes. It abruptly went dark.  
  
Carrie was nowhere to be found.  
  
"Carrie!" Suki called out, and ran to the spot where her friend once was. She picked up the book and found it changed. Instead of foreign writing, there was English.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Hello?"  
  
Carrie's voice fell flat in what seemed an airless place of darkness. She was able to breath, at least. Not being able to do much else in the void of darkness, she sat down and looked around.  
  
Not much to look at, she thought to herself, when a dull red light formed. It spread and created a portal where many people were praying in front of an altar that would be in front of her. Now what? Seeing not much was going to happen in the dark part, she stepped through the portal.  
  
There were many gasps of surprise. One man stood. "Are you the priestess?"  
  
"The priestess? What priestess?"  
  
A young man walked up. "The records say that she will not know her destiny when she first appears."  
  
"What? Hey, my destiny? What do you know about it?"  
  
The younger man looked startled, but quickly recovered. "May we discuss it over a drink and bite to eat?"  
  
Carrie agreed. He guided her to a table with breads and fruits. A pitcher of water was brought.  
  
"Would the lady like some wine?" he asked kindly.  
  
"No thanks," Carrie said. "I don't drink."  
  
The men looked at each other. Carrie saw her mistake quickly. "I mean, I don't drink anything that gives you a headache later on."  
  
The servant nodded in understanding. "I will get you some of the juice of the grapes, then. That should not bother you." He left and later returned with a glass of grape juice.  
  
"Sooo, what am I doing here, and where is here?"  
  
"The land is in disorder. The god Suzaku is in need of a priestess. We prayed that you would come to our aid, and here you are, in China."  
  
Carrie nearly breathed in the liquid, leaving her sputtering. "How did I go from the U.S. to here like that?"  
  
"I beg your pardon?"  
  
Carrie looked at him. "You know, the US. The United States of America?"  
  
His face was blank.  
  
"The western country that is across the big ocean that has lots of money? New York? Cincinnati? LA?"  
  
"That place is not familiar with me," he said, and she put her head on the table in exasperation. ~How could he not know who they were? The guy looked fairly bright and up on current events.~  
  
"The place where two planes crashed into two extremely large buildings, killing lots of people?"  
  
"How can two planes crash? The Spirit Plane and Physical Plane don't seem like they could crash into anything. Unless you mean rocks fell on the buildings. But how can both?"  
  
She wasn't getting through to him. Then she looked outside.  
  
She had seen pictures of the scenery. In books of ancient China.  
  
~Ancient?! ~  
  
"Is something the matter?"  
  
Carrie realized that she must have gone very pale. "Um, that man said something about my destiny..." she mentioned, changing the subject.  
  
"Ah, yes, I was getting to that. As the priestess of Suzaku, you must find the seven who will be your guardians."  
  
"You act like I already agreed to this. What if I don't? How do you know it's me you're looking for?"  
  
He just smiled. "When you came, what happened?"  
  
"You mean before I came?" she asked. "I was doing a ritual. I tried to read this book and a lot of red light came from it. It became a bird, then I found myself in a dark place. A portal opened and I walked through it, to appear before you and the others."  
  
"The bird," the stranger said, "was Suzaku. It just proves that you are the true Priestess of Suzaku, and must gather the Suzaku Seven."  
  
"Okay, so let's say I am this person you're looking for. What's the catch?" Carrie pried.  
  
"Well, you should know then that they...well, they're dead."  
  
Carrie nearly fell out of her chair. "Oh that's lovely. Perfect. How am I supposed to gather ghosts? Huh?"  
  
"You are the Priestess. I assume you will be able to call upon Suzaku's power and revive them."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"And so the young girl set off reluctantly. She hoped that she would be able to find a way home, and if the god was real, that he would help her there," Suki read aloud. Kyra hugged her.  
  
"I'm losing a second friend. Just don't go for good. And don't read anymore without me on the phone, 'kay?"  
  
"Got it," Suki replied. "Don't worry, I'll call as often as I can."  
  
They said their last goodbyes, and Suki boarded the plane, waiting for it to take off.  
  
"Excuse me, may I sit here?"  
  
A young lady with bright red hair stood at the aisle. Suki nodded and the woman sat. The man behind her sat in the seat across the aisle from her.  
  
"I might as well introduce myself and my companion," the lady said, taking off her gloves. "I am Miaka, and my friend is Taka."  
  
"Suki." The two women shook hands. Miaka's eyes fell upon the back of the book. "I see you've come well prepared for the long trip overseas. What book is that?"  
  
"Just picked it up on the way out of the house." She laughed. "I promised I'd only read it with my friend, she is so interested in it. I think it's just a way to keep in touch."  
  
"So you will call each other and read it? I think it's a great idea! May I see it?" Miaka asked innocently enough. Suki reluctantly handed it over.  
  
Miaka was silent for a moment, just holding the book. "My god," she whispered.  
  
"What is it?" Suki asked, but right then the intercom came on.  
  
"Welcome aboard, ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. I hope you came prepared for the trip with games and such, but if not, there will be a movie on at eight, ten, and twelve tonight. Please buckle your seatbelts at this moment while we prepare to take off. Thank you and enjoy the flight."  
  
There was a short bit of people rummaging behind them to find their seatbelts. All but Miaka.  
  
"You okay?" Taka asked.  
  
"Taka. It's the book. The Universe of the Four Gods."  
  
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A/N: Well, what do you think? Next chapter should be up today or tomorrow. R&R please! 


	2. Tasuki and Water don't Mix

Disclaimer: Fushigi Yûgi belongs to Yuu Watase. I tried to buy Tasuki but she said no. *starts crying* Anyways here's the next chapter. Enter Tasuki. *Glomps Tasuki* Mine! All mine! Also sentences in ~ are either thoughts or memories. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~  
  
Carrie sighed. ~I really wish Suki or Kyra were here.~ She looked up at the starry sky. Where was she supposed to sleep? How exactly did you revive a seishi? And why was she there in the first place? She'd never even heard about Suzaku and now she was his priestess? Everything happened too fast.  
  
Feeling nothing better to do, and not letting the pressure build up, she screamed. All went quiet as she regained her composure. "I'm okay, really," she said to no one, "but how the hell am I supposed to revive people who are dead. It just ain't done back in the US. But then, who knows if there really is a United States? Who knows where the hell my sanity went, for that matter?"  
  
"You aren't crazy."  
  
An enormous phoenix hovered before her. "First unknown lands, now talking birds. Someone shoot me," Carrie said in response.  
  
"You still remember China. That is real."  
  
"And how do I know you're not a figment of my imagination?" She decided best not to add the Mr. Suzaku sir that she was about to.  
  
"You revive them by finding items that are a representation of the person. I have brought you one to help get you started."  
  
A gray fan hit the ground. She went to pick it up.  
  
"A very big, very heavy fan? I wonder who could have been that hot."  
  
"Don't bother picking it up. Just kneel before it."  
  
She obeyed, feeling strangely like a child as he instructed her on what to do.  
  
"Hold your hands, palms down, over the item or items. Wave them, keeping them flat. No, keep them level. That's better. Now, pretend that you're running them up a roof and come to a point. Bring your hands to your chest and lower your head. Repeat after me. Suzaku, I pray to you. Restore life to this human's soul and bring forth his much-needed power."  
  
She closed her eyes, and started off barely above a whisper. "Suzaku, I pray to you." Then her voice raised in volume. "Restore life to this human's soul and bring forth his much-needed powers!"  
  
The forcefulness in her voice was practiced from hours of repeating poems, practicing for spells. She threw forth what seemed to be most of her energy at the fan, and the phoenix shrieked. The gray fan glowed with a red aura, which raised off of the iron fan and became an entity all its own. It took form and disappeared, leaving a confused man in its place.  
  
"Tasuki," Suzaku said, and the new guy looked at the phoenix. "Help this woman collect the rest of the Suzaku seishi together. She is the new Suzaku no Miko. Fare thee well."  
  
With a great sweep of his magnificent wings, Suzaku was gone.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Where did you get this?" Miaka asked.  
  
"I don't know, Kyra brought it with her. We tried to read it and."  
  
"And what? Tell me!"  
  
"Carrie disappeared."  
  
A stony silence fell over the few of them in the already somewhat quiet plane.  
  
"We didn't mean it to happen! I know Kyra would never-"  
  
"I never said that," Miaka said softly. "I.I know what happened to your friend."  
  
"You do? Where is she? When do we save her?"  
  
"It's not that easy." Miaka stared at the book for a small while and looked up. "Your friend is in the book."  
  
Suki was quiet for same time. "In the book?" Miaka nodded. "How?"  
  
"I don't quite know. But the book keeps record of what she does. Open it and read."  
  
"Hold on," Suki said and pulled out her cell. "Hey, is Kyra there? Okay. Kyra? I'm going to read the book, k? Oh, what page was I on? There, got it. Here we go."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
An irresistible force pushed her. She tried to stop, but there was nothing below her feet. She was rolling through a tunnel, it seemed. And in her mind a word went over and over.  
  
~Houjun.~  
  
Carrie awoke in a cold sweat, shooting up into a sitting position. What was that? It felt so real.  
  
She shook it off. Just a nightmare. happens to everyone.  
  
The sun peeked over the horizon in a breathtaking blaze. The clouds were pale, and the stars that had still shone at the far reaches of the sky disappeared.  
  
Tasuki yawned and stretched. "Man, I'm starved," he commented and looked around. Carrie dug around in her knapsack. Uh-oh, we only have a loaf of bread and a small bit of dried meat left. She bit her lip worriedly, but then put on a cheerful expression.  
  
"Here ya go. You might want to save it, though. Our supplies are running low." She handed the bread to Tasuki, who tore off a large chunk and stuffed the rest in his bag.  
  
He finished his piece and looked at her. "Aren't you going to have any?"  
  
"I'm not hungry." She picked up her stuff and began walking.  
  
~She sure isn't Miaka~, Tasuki thought.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
They had been traveling for days when they came to a place where the trees had been knocked down by an earthquake, some still barely clinging with their roots.  
  
They walked through the still-thick woods until the trees stopped. But it wasn't really a clearing.  
  
"A river," Carrie noted. "Well, I for one am tired of walking, and I think I see smoke on that side. Maybe it's a village."  
  
"Probably just a hermit's cabin. We can rest and then go on by foot."  
  
Carrie looked at Tasuki. He had said that way too fast. "Is something wrong?"  
  
"Nothing at all. But when did a little exercise hurt anybody?"  
  
"Maybe when they haven't eaten in a while," she mumbled, and looked into the water.  
  
A tunnel. An irresistible force.  
  
It had been a river in her dream. Was it a bad omen? No, certainly not.  
  
"Come on, it's not like we're going to swim it. Just. build a raft. We should be safe on that."  
  
"Right," he said sarcastically, but helped her make it.  
  
"So, how are we gonna guide this thing?" Tasuki asked. In response, Carrie found a tall sapling and knelt before it, mumbling her words and closing her eyes.  
  
"What? What're you doing?"  
  
"Tasuki, please be quiet." Quietly from her pocket she pulled a knife and cut it down with one stroke. "This is our navigation system."  
  
"A twig."  
  
"You'll see."  
  
She carefully got on the raft. When he didn't come with her, she folded her arms.  
  
"What now?"  
  
"I'm not coming. I don't care if you're the Priestess of Suzaku."  
  
Carrie shrugged. "Fine with me. We'll find you later."  
  
Tasuki's eyes widened slightly. He had wanted her to go his way. He growled, but there was no way he was leaving her to herself. "Alright, I'm coming."  
  
Carrie smirked. ~Who's the boss? That would be me.~  
  
They sailed in silence for a bit, when Carrie spoke finally. "So, you helped the last Suzaku no Miko?"  
  
"Hn, yeah, her name was Miaka. You don't look anything like her. Actually, not like anyone here. Where are you from?"  
  
"A place far away from here. With wonders that you couldn't even comprehend, and buildings ten times the size of trees, some fifty. Where I lived once, a river carved out this huge canyon. Even about a hundredth of its height from the bottom could kill you easily." She pushed away from a rock. "And there's one place where you can touch four sta-er, divisions of the country at once. And there you will see all types of peoples: Africans, Whites, Asians, Hispanics, Arabs."  
  
"I've never heard of such a place," Tasuki said. "But then."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, something about what Miaka said. She described tall structures lit up at night, but then she told us. that we were only story characters. We're all just part of a book."  
  
He fell silent. "Do you truly believe that is all?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"If Miaka came from the outer world, then maybe you are all book characters. But humans don't just jump into a book at will. You must all be in part real if she would become one of you. Same with me."  
  
The silence that followed allowed a rumbling roar to reach their ears. "Rapids," Carrie grumbled and pushed her sapling into a rock to try and push the raft to shore.  
  
It broke.  
  
"Oh, crap."  
  
The white water was now visible, and the roar growing deafening. "What the- "  
  
That's when Tasuki got knocked off of the raft.  
  
"Tasuki!"  
  
Without a second thought, Carrie leaped into the water. She was suddenly grabbed by fear.  
  
~The river.oh no.~  
  
She shook her head. ~No! Where's Tasuki?~  
  
He was found clinging for dear life to a slippery rock. Once she almost reached him, he slipped.  
  
Swimming as hard as she could to him, she managed to grab his ankle and pulled him up for air with her, making sure that she took the beating all the way down the river until it calmed.  
  
She needed air, but that might mean pushing Tasuki under the surface. And she didn't know how good of a swimmer he was. Her grip loosened and her vision faded to black.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"That's a pretty girl," the leader of a small group said, turning the still body of Carrie over. "Is she still alive?"  
  
One of the men reached down. "She's still breathing, and she has a pulse."  
  
"Good, she's mine."  
  
"What shall we do with him?" another man asked.  
  
"Leave him."  
  
Tasuki stirred.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"And so the girl was captured, as was her single companion."  
  
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have arrived at the airport and will soon be landing. Please make sure your belts are buckled. When we land, wait for me to give the OK for you to go. I hope you enjoyed your flight and have a nice day."  
  
"Sorry Kyra, I have to go now. I know, and I kept my promise, didn't I? Yeah, talk to ya later." Beep.  
  
"Um, Suki," Miaka said, "did you need a place to stay? We can discuss the book, and if you need a guide or translator."  
  
"Really?" Suki asked. "Oh, thank you so much. With all that has happened, I forgot to make a reservation.are you sure it's okay?"  
  
"I offered, didn't I?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A/N: I know, I know. You're probably wondering why Miaka is in here, right? Well, if she wasn't who else could we torture? Poor Suki. She's staying with Miaka. Any people who actually like Miaka don't flame me for my opinion that Miaka should die a slow and painful death, okay? Ja ne! 


	3. Run Kyra

Disclaimer: Like I said, I dont own Fushigi Yûgi! So stop bothering me! No really I don't own it but oh well. I can always dream. *Falls asleep* Tasuki... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"We're here," Miaka said, flipping on the light. "It isn't much, but." "I'm grateful to have a roof over my head," Suki said. "Although I'm very worried about Carrie. I hope I won't be a bother." Miaka smiled down at the girl. "I understand."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Carrie closed her eyes. Someone was holding her close, and it was so warm and comforting. She felt calm and.  
  
Something wasn't right. A sudden panic overcame her. She was about to pull away when his lips pressed to hers. Something was awfully wrong, but she couldn't move.  
  
Carrie opened her eyes slowly. There was a sound of a man struggling. She peeked out of one eye and saw Tasuki being dragged down the hall. He broke free and began fighting off the three guards.  
  
"Hello."  
  
Her body went rigid. Slowly, she turned to the other person beside her.  
  
He was cute, she first noticed. He was wearing only a pair of pants, and had rippling abs. His bright blue eyes seemed to draw her into him, but she blinked and saw the whole scene clearly. She was in bed, with a guy, her with just her bra and underwear on, and Tasuki fighting while she was goggling at some guy.  
  
She looked for her clothes, found them, and with a quick fist punched the guy's lights out. She leaped out of bed and grabbed her clothes, putting them on.  
  
"Lekka Shien!"  
  
She opened the door as fireballs whizzed past her. Slamming it, she looked around.  
  
~Take the crown.~  
  
She looked around. On a mantle was a large, glitzy crown. She took it under one arm.  
  
Tasuki burst into the room. "Let's go!" he yelled and she ran after him, leaving the place to burn.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Look at what you did!"  
  
"I'm sorry Kyle, I didn't mean to."  
  
"Come here! Get over here now!"  
  
"No! Please, you're hurting me!"  
  
Kyra walked downstairs to get something to drink as she heard her father yelling and punching her mom, who was crumpled on the floor. Her father looked up.  
  
"Kyra. Ohmigod, Kyra!"  
  
Kyra had long gone, thrown on a jacket and grabbed her money, then crawled out her window.  
  
~Kyra, if it happens again, I want you to run. Run as far away as you can.~  
  
"Yes, mother, I'll run."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Meanwhile  
  
Bring! Bring! Bring! Bring! Bring!  
  
Suki sighed. "She's not there, I guess."  
  
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A/N: Tasuki and his fan throwing fire just like the old days. Lol. And poor Kyra! To see her mother being beaten by her father. Traumatizing! O.K. Well next chapter coming soon! R&R! And I won my softball game today! 17-7! 


	4. Another River Rescue

Disclaimer: Of course I own Fushigi Yûgi! *Gets whacked by Tasuki's tessen* O.K., O.K. I don't own it. Happy now? Tasuki, "Very!" *mumbling* Stupid waterphobic... *Throws Tasuki into a lake* Justice is served! Hahahaha! Hey! I'm eating Bahama Bucks. Lotsa sugar!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Thank you so much."  
  
Minutes later, Carrie came out dressed in local apparel. She thought it much more comfortable than her other clothes. Tossing her hair over her shoulder. The people of the house set out a bit of food for her, and she ate it slowly, making sure her gratitude was fully known. Tasuki came out, grumbling.  
  
"That stupid river.never should have gone."  
  
"Maybe you're right, Tasuki."  
  
That sure wasn't the response, if any, he was expecting. It caught him off guard.  
  
"I haven't shown you the proper respect that I should. After all, I'm far newer to this terrain than you are. I'm sorry."  
  
He opened his mouth to say something snide back, but nothing came out. He just shrugged.  
  
Carrie placed the last morsel into her mouth and stood. There was some type of racket outside. She peeked out.  
  
"Tiger!"  
  
A small boy ran to his mom, who rushed him inside. Tasuki stood, ready to fight.  
  
"No."  
  
He looked at the girl standing before him. She held her right arm vertically, her hand flat, palm facing her left. She closed her eyes.  
  
The tiger approached her.  
  
She opened her eyes with a fierce glare and yelled in a harsh voice "Yoku!"  
  
A bird of flame flew from her and chased the tiger to the edge of the woods, going no further. It turned to look at her and disappeared.  
  
"My child!"  
  
A mother looked helplessly as the river nearby swallowed up her child. Without a second though, Carrie ran and dived into it.  
  
The river tumbled her and her hand felt a cold surface. She instinctively picked it up.  
  
The boy was clinging to a rock for life. Carrie was almost there when he slipped-  
  
She grabbed his wrist and managed to drag him to shore. He was bawling, which was a good sign.  
  
"Just scared," Carrie said breathlessly.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"She's not there."  
  
Suki hung up the phone reluctantly. "She ran away. At least, that's what they say. What if." Suki looked at the Universe of the Four Gods with determination.  
  
"What is it?" Miaka asked.  
  
"What if she's in the book?" Suki replied. After a moment's silence, she grabbed it. "I'm finding a way to go in."  
  
"There isn't, unless Suzaku or Taiitsu-kun want it. Or one of the other three gods."  
  
"But my friends are in there!" Suki yelled. "I have to try."  
  
"Do you want to end up fighting them?" Miaka countered. "You can't go in there."  
  
"I would never fight against her!"  
  
"You don't know that!" Miaka said, tears building up behind her eyes. "Yui.I had to fight her. Please don't."  
  
Suki clenched her fists, then ran into her room, away from it. Miaka sighed with relief.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
~Carrie.Kyra.What should I do? I'm not strong or a compromiser. I need to know you're okay.~  
  
Suki turned the lights on low. The red book was still there, where it had been during the argument. But when she touched it this time, there was a certain electricity about it. She still opened it and.  
  
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A/N: Was that enough of a cliffhanger? Wow Taiitsu-kun was actually mentioned! Think people fall into rivers enough in this fic? Tasuki, "AAH! The evil grandma!!!" Taiitsu-kun, "Oh, shove it!" Nyan-nyans, "Sorry Tasuki-san but we tried to fix her face but we didn't have enough power. At least you don't have to see her in the morning-" Taiitsu-kun, "SHUT UP!" *whacks the Nyan-nyans with a mallet*  
  
Also, if anyone knows how to italicize things and then upload it the same please tell me. 'Cause i can't figure it out. 


	5. Fire Throwing & Slicing and Dicing

Disclaimer: I tried to buy Tasuki, Chichiri, Hotohori, Kouji and Nuriko but Yuu Watase wouldn't sell them to me and my friends! Oh well, there's always plushies! *hands out plushies of above mentioned Bishis to friends* And because the italics don't work sentences in between these ~ are thoughts or past memories,and * these are dreams, ok? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Suzaku, I pray to you. Restore life to this human's soul and bring forth his much-needed powers!"  
  
The light began to take a human shape. Suddenly a portion of it shot away, up the road. A reddish light replaced the white and filled in what was missing. The light then dissipated and a very handsome man stood in its place.  
  
"Hotohori."  
  
He looked at her once and knelt. "Suzaku no Miko."  
  
Suzaku flew off in a brilliant flare. Wiping the sweat off of her brow, she stood. "Thank you for coming. I'd like to in-"  
  
There was a shriek from nearby. Carrie looked in the direction of the noise and watched as a girl struggled to get from a tree.  
  
"Suki?!?"  
  
The girl looked blankly at her for a minute, then-  
  
"Carrie!" Suki finally tumbled out of the tree and landed on her rear. Carrie couldn't help but giggle a bit. The two friends embraced each other.  
  
"How are you? How is everybody?" Carrie asked, eyes full of pain at the mention of her world.  
  
"Kyra is fine. So am I, and this nice lady let me stay with her while I was in Japan. Her name was Miaka."  
  
Suki seemed completely oblivious to the surprised looks on Tasuki and Hotohori's faces. They looked at one another, and Carrie pulled away a bit.  
  
"Miaka?" Carrie looked back at Tasuki, who shrugged.  
  
"Could be," Tasuki said, "but you never know how many people there are with that name."  
  
Suki looked back and forth between them. "Huh? What'd I miss?"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Oh, so that's who she is."  
  
"And the rest of the seishi I'm supposed to be looking for. Thank you both," Carrie said graciously to the two. "This will help me on the search."  
  
Suki looked at her friend curiously. "Why are you so formal all of the sudden?"  
  
Carrie pulled her off to the side. "One can throw fire, the other can slice and dice us at any second. I really don't want to be impolite to them at all, if you know what I mean."  
  
"Oh. Okay."  
  
"Excuse me, ladies."  
  
Both of them looked up, completely clueless expressions on their faces. "Where'd you come from?" Suki asked.  
  
"I am a wandering swordsman, in search of a good fight. Do either of you use a sword at all?"  
  
"No, sorry," Carrie said, bowed slightly and dragged Suki off back to Tasuki and Hotohori. The swordsman had somehow come ahead of them and was preparing for the swordfight of his life.  
  
There! They clashed with the sound of ringing metal loud and clear. Clash and retreat, to strike again. Block, dodge, block, there's an opening, jab! Carrie could almost hear the thoughts of both swordsmen as they fought it out. A faint flicker caught her eye.  
  
"Stand back," she told Suki, and stood slightly in front of her. The symbol on Hotohori's neck began to glow dully, growing in intensity, and Hotohori began pushing his opponent back slowly. Just a bit more.  
  
Hotohori held the sword at the other's neck. The duel was done.  
  
"A great fight," the swordsman said, kneeling. "If possible, I would give you all I had in my pockets, but alas, all I have is my blade. It seems that I will never be a great swordsman, though nary a stronger blade exists. I reward you with it, and return home."  
  
He set the shining blade into the sand and somehow disappeared. Carrie looked strangely at it.  
  
"I already have a sword," Hotohori said somewhat smugly, showing his much less plain sword. "Maybe the new girl would like to try?"  
  
"Me?" Suki asked. "No way, you can get hurt with those things! Tasuki?"  
  
He set his fan to his shoulder. "I don't need it."  
  
All eyes turned to Carrie. She looked at it strangely. "Nary a stronger."  
  
"What are you thinking?" Suki asked, peeking over her shoulder. Carrie closed her eyes, and a reddish glow spread about the sword.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Get back here, little girl!"  
  
Kyra ran and ran. "Help me somebody!" she tried to yell, but all that came out was a strangled sob. Weaving in between the people who always seemed to slow her down as the robber ran after her, right in the path she made.  
  
"Help me catch her, she's my daughter!" the stranger yelled, and everyone seemed to react to him, and moved to stop him. She felt his hand clasp around hers.  
  
Then all went dark.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: What is it with me and stopping at cliffhangers? Oh well. And guess who Carrie brings back next? "Nary a stronger..." That should give you a hint. And, Hotohori was revived using the crown from chap. 3. Crown, emperor. I'm redoing the whole thing kinda. Just putting in dividers and changing things like the Disclaimers and A/Ns. 


	6. Make up your own title.

Disclaimer: Yes I do own Fushigi Yûgi. Hah! Yeah right. I wish. Really, I do!. Himitsu, "Ice-chan you really scare me sometimes." I know Himi-chan. =) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Suki!"  
  
Miaka ran all through the house as Taka dragged himself out of bed. "What is it?" he mumbled.  
  
She ran out of the room. "She's not here anymore," Miaka said, and stopped dead at the book.  
  
There was a glass of milk right next to it.  
  
The lights were on dimly.  
  
"Oh no." she said, and picked up the book, beginning to read. Taka put a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"The priestess and her four companions walk toward the next town, they find yet a new member. It is the Miko's other dear friend from the other world. Suddenly, two others drop in on-"  
  
Red flash, and the room is empty.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"WAAAAHHHH-OW!"  
  
The six of them looked on as two more party members join. Suki is the first to speak up.  
  
"Miaka? What are you doing here?"  
  
Miaka rubbed her sore rear and looked at the girl. "I was looking for you. I thought you'd be in the book."  
  
"Miaka?"  
  
Nuriko blinked a bit and then hugged the girl. "I missed you. All of you," Miaka said.  
  
"Strange."  
  
Carrie was deep in thought. "What is it?" Miaka asked.  
  
Carrie looked at Miaka, then past at the figure behind her.  
  
"Tamahome. Greetings." She lowered her head in respect. "My name is Carrie." She turned to Miaka. "I haven't been traveling long, and yet here are four of the seishi. It seems that either luck is in our favor, or something dire is to happen soon."  
  
"Hey, why don't you all just cheer up?" Suki asked. "There is a town nearby, and I am looking forward to having a nice sleep on a nice bed. Now how about we all talk there, huh?"  
  
And so they walked to the town.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"I am stuffed," Suki announced to everyone as she got up onto the well's edge. Everyone, meaning Kyra and Carrie. Everyone else had gone to bed.  
  
"Just don't fall into that well," Carrie warned. This somehow sent Suki into a fit of giggles that ended with a small shriek and splash.  
  
"Now look what you did," Kyra scolded. "You jinxed her."  
  
"I warned her," Carrie shot back. "How do we get her out?"  
  
Kyra rolled her eyes. "Jeez, haven't you seen the movies? We send down the bucket. Watch out down there."  
  
Creak, Creak  
  
Snap  
  
Splash  
  
"Use the bucket, eh?"  
  
"Don't leeeeaaave me!" Suki called from below.  
  
"We won't. Can you see me?" Carrie asked  
  
"Yeah. Why?"  
  
"Stay away from this side."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Splash  
  
"What the cough how am I going to get out now."  
  
"You'll have to trust me. Take as deep of a breath as you can."  
  
"Wha? What are you planning?!"  
  
"Just trust me."  
  
Suki took a big breath and Carrie forced her down. Suki struggled, but Carrie was a more expert swimmer, not to mention stronger.  
  
~Suzaku, I pray to you.~  
  
Suki punched her in the gut, making her lose a bit of air, but she didn't loosen her grip.  
  
~Restore life to this human's soul.and~  
  
Suki was about to break free. This had to happen now.  
  
~Bring forth his much.much-needed.powers.~  
  
She felt a cloth wrap around her shoulders and closed her eyes, relaxing.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Sprawled out on a cape of sorts were two girls.  
  
"That.was cool," Kyra commented. Suki leaped up and slapped Carrie.  
  
"What's the big idea?! You could have made both of us drown! What have you to say?"  
  
There was no response. No twitch, not even a batting of an eyelash. Suki drew back. "Carrie?"  
  
Strong hands grabbed her face, then a tingling sensation.  
  
~"You love him, don't you? Don't you?!"~  
  
~No.only you.I'm so sorry.  
  
Houjun.~  
  
"No!"  
  
Everyone stared at the pallid girl. She was trembling from head to toe, from the cold, from a scare, none of them could know. After looking around, she found herself about to be sick.  
  
"Is she going to be okay?" Kyra asked as Carrie coughed and hacked in the bushes, something occasionally coming up. The stranger nodded his head.  
  
"She should be fine, just that she is tense after that, no da."  
  
"Thank god. I thought."  
  
Miaka ran outside. "Carrie! What happened.Chichiri, you're here!"  
  
"Miaka! I didn't expect to see you here, no da."  
  
Carrie turned around and her insides tensed. A sudden wave of anger flooded her, but soon vanished. She just felt weak.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The next day was cloudy. Suki looked at the outside blankly. "It's not going to be fun today."  
  
"What makes you say that?" Tamahome asked.  
  
"The clouds are dark. Dark in a different way than normal."  
  
Tasuki rolled his eyes. Kyra put her arm around her friend. "We'll get through it, don't worry."  
  
Carrie was talking to Miaka on the other side of the room, facing away from the doorway when Chichiri entered. Carrie's brow furrowed, and she felt like there was ice-cold water running through her veins. She fell to one knee.  
  
"Carrie, are you okay?"  
  
"I don't know. Just cold. Very cold suddenly."  
  
Miaka wrapped a blanket around her friend and hugged her close. Suki looked at Carrie then Chichiri.  
  
Yesterday she got sick after she noticed him. And now, once he comes into the same room, she freezes? It is summertime. But does she have a cold, or.  
  
"Chichiri?" Tasuki asked and went on defensive. Chichiri's eyes were blank and void of emotion.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: Nuriko and Chichiri finally showed up! But what's wrong with Carrie? Why is she having these weird dreams and visions? And what's happening to Chichiri? Find out next chapter! *prophetic voice* All shall be revealed in due time... 


	7. The Mysterious Pool

Disclaimer: Due to the fact that Yuu Watase would not sell me Fushigi Yûgi I do not own it. But not for lack of trying. Also, my friend Himitsu is now writing the story so it may take longer to get up at some times. And...You people are mean! No one's reviewed this yet. I feel so unloved! =,( Himitsu, "Don't worry Ice-chan. I'll review it for you." And sorry for the long break. I was in Flagstaff and it was soooo boring. I'm so proud of myself. I finally have FY graphic novels. 3,4,&5! I feel so special. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
His arm reached out and Tasuki flew against the wall.  
  
"What the-" Tasuki managed to get out before he became unconscious.  
  
Carrie stood up weakly. "Some sort of.spell." Glaring at the friend-turned- foe, she then closed her eyes put her left arm around her waist. Her right hand crossed to her left shoulder, and wind blew at her hair. "Sho," she whispered.  
  
A thin stream of light went from her to Chichiri, and then it grew wider. He looked puzzled, then fell to his knees.  
  
"She's drawing energy from him! This is our chance!"  
  
Miaka grabbed Tamahome by the arm. "But what if you kill him by accident?"  
  
Nuriko looked at the both of them helplessly. "But what are we supposed to do? Carrie can't keep that up for long."  
  
Meanwhile, Kyra turned to Suki. "Will spells work here?" she asked.  
  
"Well," Suki replied, cracking her knuckles, "it's worth a try. Let's go with the banishing."  
  
They both closed their eyes and a white aura spread over them.  
  
"Return to the place from which you came  
  
Return to us never and don't bother us again  
  
We turn you back and send you away  
  
We're not willing to play your games!  
  
For the good of all, it shall become true!"  
  
Carrie had absorbed most of his power by then, and he was very weak. The light spread over him, too. When it vanished, his eyes cleared. "What.happened.no da.?"  
  
A black bit of matter floated up and took human form just before it vanished. Slowly, Carrie sent the collected energy back to Chichiri, and then collapsed.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
There was the sound of rushing water.  
  
Someone was calling out. For help? Where were they? It was all black. Running through the darkness, trying to find the source of the sound. A sudden shriek, then.nothing.  
  
"Carrie!"  
  
There was the feeling of something hitting the bed right beside her, and Carrie opened her eyes. Suki was right there.  
  
"She's up!"  
  
"That's because YOU woke her up. She needs her rest," Carrie heard Kyra call from another room. Seconds later, Kyra walked by and Suki stuck out her tongue.  
  
Kyra blew a raspberry in response.  
  
Suki began making faces.  
  
"For the love of-" Carrie began, but Suki then smiled at her.  
  
"Hotohori is cute, isn't he?"  
  
Carrie blinked. "Okay, how did a conversation get started on this?"  
  
Kyra came in. "Tamahome is cuter."  
  
"Tamahome has a GIRLFRIEND."  
  
Kyra huffed. "Fine, then I choose Tasuki!"  
  
"What is this? Pokemon?" Carrie asked.  
  
"Haven't you been online yet? It's Bishonen! With the cute little Duos and Xellosses."  
  
Carrie slapped herself on the forehead. "Oh dear, must have slipped my mind," she said as sarcastically as she could manage.  
  
"Anime freak," Kyra sneered.  
  
"So who do you like?"  
  
Carrie looked at the two of them. "Huh?"  
  
"I betcha she likes Chichiri!"  
  
"Um, hi, I'm right here, and no, I don't have a crush on Chichiri."  
  
"Riiiight. I saw that look on your face when Miaka talked to him. You were J-E-A-L-O-U-S."  
  
"I have no idea what you're talking about. But I am hungry, so if you'll excuse me."  
  
The room was filled with giggling as soon as she left. The others were waiting downstairs. "Ready to leave?" Miaka asked.  
  
"Uh, yeah, just let me get something to drink."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Carrie watched as the sun was setting, sending beautiful hues into the sky. Their camp wasn't too far away, and the pond in front of her reflecting the light made it all the more beautiful.  
  
Just as she was about to get comfortable underneath the apple tree, something hit her head. Rubbing the spot, she looked down and saw an apple core. She looked up and saw the monk contentedly watching the sun set. She shook her head and turned her gaze back to the sky.  
  
"It is a much better view from up here, no da," he called down to her.  
  
"I'm not much of a tree climber," Carrie replied tiredly. She had a feeling that it would be a long time before she could have a peaceful sleep, with all of the excitement and the revivals and dreams.  
  
"You know," she said, "before, when I was back home, we had to worry about shootings and murders and gangs.Now I have to worry about people who want to kill me, gods, flame throwers, swordsmen, supermen, getting beat up, reviving already dead people, monks, possessive spirits, rapids, and the occasional apple core."  
  
"Oh, sorry, no da. I didn't mean to hit you."  
  
"It happens, and I do not believe it will result in internal injury, so don't worry about it." The sky had returned to blue-black, and Carrie heard Nuriko yell that they were done with camp. After eating a small meal, everyone went to sleep.  
  
Except for Carrie.  
  
She tossed and turned, uneasy about the notion of a possible attack at while they were all asleep. She was surprised that she wasn't dead by now. Finally giving up, she stood and decided to walk toward the pond, meditating to be ready to fight if need be.  
  
The moon's reflection on the pond was mesmerizing. Carrie looked through the glassy, undisturbed surface and felt a sense of calm. She decided then to instead practice meditation on an item, possibly bestowing power on it. She pulled the hairpin from her coat pocket and concentrated on it. After what seemed an hour or so she felt her mind grow sluggish, not quite alert, and her fingers loosened around the pin, which slipped between them and into the water.  
  
A bright light radiated from it. Surprised and frightened, she grabbed the pin and ran away from the camp, hoping to lead the 'attack' away from the others. They came first.  
  
But nothing followed her. She became worried and angry and confused, all at once. As a cold chill went down her spine, she yelled out to the forest.  
  
"Fear upon me, serve me well! Let truth be known to me, tell me of my foe, I bid it to be!"  
  
The words echoed among the trees.  
  
"You have nothing to fear."  
  
Carrie whirled around, expecting to see something like a young man.  
  
Nope. Just a kid.  
  
"Jeez, you kinda scared me there," she said sheepishly. "So, what do you know?"  
  
The boy motioned for Carrie to sit on a rock. She did and noticed she was only slightly lower than eye level.  
  
"The place you just ran from is called the 'Reflection Pool'. It can show you the answer to your desires, but you must know what it is, so many people have looked for relief from pain and seen a completely different thing entirely. You must be careful when using it. May I see the item that it reacted to?" He took the pin from her and examined it. "Most likely it has something to do with this. You might want to go back and look at what it shows you." He stretched and yawned.  
  
"Did you want a place to sleep? It's just a blanket and some softer needles and grass, but I don't know of any houses around here. Are you-"  
  
"Lost? No, though I have been asked that often," he said with a bit of an edge to his tone. She thought it best to keep her mouth shut, because you never know what things turn out to be. She took him to her place and waited until he seemed asleep, then left for the pool.  
  
Gently placing the pin in the water, she watched as the light shined, then disappeared. Standing on the surface of the water was a fair, ghostly girl in a flowing gown.  
  
"Hello," she said gently, her voice echoing eerily and quietly. "Who are you?"  
  
"Me? Uh." Carrie continued to stare at her in awe. "My name is Carrie."  
  
"Carrie? A delightful sounding name. Where are you from? The North, West, East, South? Or from the lands beyond?"  
  
"The last one sounds fine."  
  
The girl smiled. "Ah. It must be very different from these lands." The sun peeked over the horizon. "I must go, but tomorrow night we meet?"  
  
"Yeah, that would be good," Carrie replied, and the girl vanished.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: *Dragon Ball Z narrator voice* Who is this mysterious girl Carrie's talking to? And who is this young boy who has shown up? Find out next time on A New Miko and a Past Life! 


	8. The Kid and the Giant

Disclaimer: *goes onto a makeshift stage and holds up a sign saying, 'I don't own Fushigi Yûgi or its characters. Thank you.' *walks of crying* Remember ~blah~ are dreams or thoughts. And... Goddess damnit you people are so fuckin' MEAN! I've only gotten TWO reviews and they're from the author! *has a psychotic episode much like Quatre did and goes around blowing stuff up* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
At the camp there seemed to be a sort of celebration going on, and the boy seemed to be the center of it. She heard strains of conversation, one word sticking out.  
  
"Wait a minute," she called. "You're Chiriko? How?"  
  
"Energy is all that is truly needed. However, the calling on Suzaku makes it more.formal."  
  
Carrie shook her head. "Okay, fine. Who wants breakfast?"  
  
"Me! Me!" Miaka said in an uncharacteristic show of eagerness. At least uncharacteristic to Suki, Kyra, and Carrie. None were aware of the blue eyes that watched their every move.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Food's ready!"  
  
Everyone was eager for the meal, it seemed. Especially Miaka, but that had been made fairly obvious to the others. Breakfast was bread, butter, eggs, and a ham. It was all gone by the time they were done.  
  
Something wasn't right. It wasn't in her friends, but Carrie could feel dread well up in her. She got up. "I'm going for a little walk before we leave," she announced.  
  
Hotohori nodded and looked around. "Oh, and have you seen my sword lately? I seem to have misplaced it."  
  
Carrie shrugged. "Sorry, but no."  
  
Step by step, she walked farther and farther, and the forest became denser by the meter. She was about to turn back, when she was shoved into a tree and stabbed. Pain shot through her, and she looked at the person responsible.  
  
"Nakago!"  
  
Chichiri saw him all too late, for soon the man got away as he tended to her. The others arrived shortly.  
  
"She might die from loss of blood," Suki said worriedly. "Now what?"  
  
"We can't do anything!"  
  
"Maybe."  
  
All eyes turned to Chiriko. "Maybe there was a reason that you came here. Maybe you can save her."  
  
"What can we-"  
  
"We need Mitsukake. All you truly need is energy and you should be able to bring him here. It's the only chance."  
  
"But we've never done anything like that before!" Suki argued, but Kyra held a hand up.  
  
"What have we got to lose?" Her voice was quiet, but determined. Suki nodded and concentrated, chanting the last seishi's name in her mind.  
  
~Mitsukake, Mitsukake.~  
  
Slowly, a dull red glow formed, then grew brighter. It shifted shape until satisfied with the figure, then flashed.  
  
Mitsukake blinked. Looking over at the commotion, he could only see a group of people around something.  
  
"We need you."  
  
Turning, he saw Chiriko. Mitsukake nodded and the group made way as he knelt by Carrie and began to work his powers. Everyone was silent until he was done.  
  
"Will she be okay?" Kyra asked.  
  
"Will HE be okay?" Suki asked in response, noticing how fatigued their new friend was. Mitsukake nodded.  
  
"Yes to both. She is merely sleeping now, but it takes much energy to heal her."  
  
"Looks like we'll be staying here awhile longer, then."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Carrie.Carrie.Wake up.  
  
Carrie stirred slightly. She touched the Kesa wrapped around her and pulled it tightly.  
  
~I can't!~  
  
She sat up as the thought shocked her mind like electricity. She didn't even know why it came up. The campfire was smoldering, and everyone was asleep. She rushed toward the pond and set the hairpin in the water.  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
Retrieving the accessory, Carrie frowned and stuffed it into the pocket, and went back to sleep, wondering what could have woken her.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: Ooh. A Seiryuu Seishi! Finally! And Chiriko and Mitsukake are here. The whole gang. Now what's gonna happen? 


	9. Taiitsu-kun. 'Nough said.

Disclaimer: *walks onto the stage* "I am not a crook! I do not own Fushigi Yûgi or Tasuki unfortunately. Thank you for your time." Tasuki, "Ha ha! You don't own me!!!" No I don't but I can still do this. *throws Tasuki into the Well of Drowned Girl.* Tasuki, "That's cold. You're a psycho aren't you?" Aaw...What gave it away? Himitsu, "Because Taiitsu-kun was in this chapter all the seishi have little parts due to their fear of her face-" *WHAM* "Ooh. Lookit de pwetty birdies..." Taiitsu-kun, "Well she won't be bothering me for a while." *Holds up a big mallet* "Anyone else have anything to say about me?" Everyone else: *silence*  
  
Thanks for the few reviews I got.  
  
Draconsis: Unfortunately, Himitsu is the author and I can't change what she's written. And, the whole first season is done. As is the second one. Himi-chan is currently working on the third season. I just don't want to post it all at one time. Um... Nuriko came when the swordsman said, "nary a stronger blade exists." Since Nuriko is the strongest they used the sword as the item representing him. As to Kyra, personally I have no idea. I'll ask Himitsu and get back to on that. And, I'm not sure what Tenkou's resolution will be. Your guess is correct actually. She did have a past life in the book. You should be able to figure it out after this chap.  
  
And, I know the chapters are short but I cut them off where I think they should end. That's the perk of being the editor. Ja! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Welcome to Mt. Taikyoku, no da!"  
  
It was a beautiful place to Carrie, but her thoughts weren't on what was happening currently. At least until.  
  
"Ack! Get away from me you horrible thing!" came from Hotohori.  
  
Thud! So did that.  
  
Carrie turned to face.a very old woman.  
  
"You be quiet," she scolded, then turned to Carrie. "What are you looking at? Think I'm ugly too?"  
  
"Beauty, as it is said, is in the eye of the beholder, and wears away with time. But I have heard much of you, and know that your wisdom outweighs anything more."  
  
Taiitsu-kun looked stern for a moment, then smiled. "Well answered child. Welcome to my home."  
  
"Thank you," Carrie replied, but had no clue where she came up with that. Personally, she thought the woman was scary.  
  
"Hmph. You are truly Suzaku no Miko. Come, and we shall talk."  
  
They walked for a while in silence, however, until Taiitsu-kun spoke again.  
  
"Have you heard of the Choosing?"  
  
"The. Choosing? I'm afraid not, Sensei. What is it?"  
  
Taiitsu-kun chuckled to herself at the nickname. "The Choosing is normally done with Suzaku no Mikos, unless the results have been formed on their own. The Choosing's purpose is to find which one of your seishi will become your guardian. Of course, they all are, but one has a main purpose of doing so. In Miaka's case, it needn't be done, as Tamahome naturally guarded her with his life. But there have been previous times that the Miko never got along with her seishi, so one would have to be assigned to protect her at all costs. I can see that is not the case, and it will serve another purpose in this lifetime.  
  
"More on yourself, however, and Miaka. I'm afraid to say that Miaka isn't the natural Suzaku no Miko. The one that was to take her place, however, died, and Miaka's will was the strongest and kindest that we could find, the closest to the true Miko's. And you did fine, taking on the roll, and became a true priestess of Suzaku. But Carrie.the Miko that died has manifested herself into you, and you must continue the line."  
  
"Line? Taiitsu-kun, what line?"  
  
Taiitsu-kun stopped and turned to Carrie. "There is a line of lives. Not all of the Mikos are of the same blood, but they are of the same spirit." She started floating along the path again. "The Choosing will let your past life choose whom they would like, and slowly meld with you as your personalities become one. And memories, as well. Those dreams you've been having. They are flashes of memory from the past life. However, we shall not discuss it at the moment. We have arrived."  
  
A castle lay before them, and the Seishi went in first, then Carrie's friend, and finally Carrie came to the entrance.  
  
"Oh, and child."  
  
Carrie turned to the woman.  
  
"I believe you picked up an accessory on the way here, no? May I have it, for future use in the ceremonies?"  
  
Carrie nodded and handed the hairpin to Taiitsu-kun, and was allowed to come inside, where she was greeted by two girls with green hair. They lead her to a bedroom that was the size of her living room back home. She lay down on the bed and fell asleep instantly.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Time to wake up!"  
  
Carrie rolled over and saw one of the girls watching her. The girl smiled and held up a white and red gown. "Time for the ceremony! Wake up!"  
  
Blinking dramatically, Carrie sat up and got dressed in it. There was lots of lace, but it was very pretty. The girl wanted to "fix" her hair, but she kindly declined.  
  
"Carrie! Look at the pretty dresses!" Suki said, running in, dressed in a red dress with white sleeves. "They're so beautiful! Oh, and Taiitsu-kun wants you."  
  
She practically dragged the Miko outside, where she finally let go and allowed Carrie to regain her composure. Two of the girls appeared and straightened her dress, then flew off.  
  
"They're called Nyan -nyans," Suki explained when she saw the quizzical look on her friend's face. "Their main purpose is to fix and heal things, but they have other uses. Look at how they did my hair!"  
  
Suki's hair was cut evenly, and she had it curled inward at the bottom. Carrie nodded. "Taiitsu-kun's probably waiting for us, though. We'd better get going."  
  
Six of the seishi were in a circle when she arrived. Tamahome, the seventh, had his arm around Miaka. Taiitsu-kun instructed Carrie to come into the circle.  
  
"Kneel child, and send your energy into the earth, the sky, and focus. Focus on something dear to you."  
  
All of the seishi in the circle had a different aura around them now. Chichiri's was violet, Tasuki's red, Mitsukake a light blue. At her back, Nuriko's was a hunter green, Chiriko's an orange, and Hotohori's was yellow.  
  
Carrie just concentrated, waiting for something to pop up in her mind. It drifted.  
  
"Carrie."  
  
Carrie turned and saw the girl from the pool. "I missed you. I wanted to see you again."  
  
"I tried to see you-"  
  
"I know, but something held me back. My name is Kouran."  
  
"That's a pretty name."  
  
Kouran bent down and took something from the pool. "Take this, so that we may communicate whenever you wish. Fare thee well."  
  
"Wait!"  
  
An aura exploded almost around Carrie, beginning as white, then darkened to  
  
violet.  
  
"She has chosen," Taiitsu-kun said, and everybody relaxed. Carrie wondered if it had all been a dream, then looked at her hand. A ring that hadn't been there before.  
  
"Chichiri, will you protect her with your life?"  
  
Chichiri nodded. Almost instantly, Carrie found herself unable to breath. It was like the air had become thick. She fell to her knees and passed out.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Oh my god. Who are you again?"  
  
Carrie sighed. "Very funny, Kyra."  
  
"No, seriously, you look way different."  
  
"I know, you've told me about ten times already."  
  
"It's been twelve."  
  
"You were keeping track?"  
  
"You guys?" Suki interrupted. "We kinda have a coronation ceremony to do here, so could we move right along?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A/N: Has anyone figured out who Carrie was in her past life yet? It should be really obvious by now. But if you haven't...Oh, well. Saihitei no Miko has. 


	10. Sleeping Beauty (for lack of a better ti...

Disclaimer: *Himitsu walks onto a stage* "Because Ice-chan had 1 blow to the head too many from Taiitsu-kun, I am now doing the disclaimer until further notice. Neither Ice-chan nor myself own Fushigi Yûgi. We only own Suki, Kyra, and Carrie. They came from our insane organ in our head that's also called a brain." Tamahome, "Wow! You guys' actually own a brain?! Now do you each have one or is it one brain between you two?" *Thud* Himitsu, *steps over Tamahome's unconcious from* "Ahem. Does anyone have any questions as to our sanity or a possession of a brain?" *no one answers* "I didn't think so." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Bam!  
  
The three girls turned to face the intruder. He had long blue hair and brown eyes like milk chocolate. Suki stepped forward. "Who are you?!"  
  
"Me? I am called Hikou. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."  
  
Carrie stared at him hard.  
  
Hikou. She felt a cold fear creep down her spine, and yet he seemed familiar, though she hadn't seen him before.  
  
"Kouran, come with me. Where has your fiancée gone now?"  
  
Carrie backed up. "I.I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
He disappeared and reappeared beside her faster than she could react. Taking her in his arms, he looked deeply into her eyes, and leaned toward her.  
  
"Do you remember how happy we were? I thought you had died, but here you are, and you can bring me back." He pulled her tightly and kissed her.  
  
She shoved as hard as she could. "No!" she cried, tasting the poison upon her lips as she reeled back. He reached out for her too late.  
  
She fell over the side of the railing.  
  
"Carrie!"  
  
"No! Be gone spirit, hateful one, and do no more damage than you have done!"  
  
Hikou disappeared.  
  
Carrie fell, feeling unconsciousness come as her friends cried for her. He meant no harm, but she shrieked, uttered a single word as she fell to the ground.  
  
Impact. Then nothing.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"What?"  
  
Nuriko looked up as the shriek resonated around her, loud and garbled. He looked at Chichiri, who disappeared under his Kasa. Seeing the others heading toward the vast palace, he followed.  
  
When they got there, he saw Chichiri doing all in his power to keep her alive. It was his main priority, but there was almost panic on his face as he checked for any head injuries of which, surprisingly, there were none. "She's been poisoned, and is breaking out into a fever. We need some cool wet cloths. Miaka? Could you check for any other injuries? I'll help you carry her into another room."  
  
Chichiri had taken charge surprisingly fast, but nothing could be done. Mitsukake could not heal the spirit poison, and felt all the more awful. By the coming of night, she had fallen farther, into a coma.  
  
"She looks peaceful, calm," Suki said quietly. "Almost like Sleeping Beauty."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Everyone wanted Carrie to wake back up, but days passed, even weeks, turning to a month. The entire mountain seemed morose, even the Nyan-nyans couldn't raise their own spirits, much less everyone else's. But one night Kyra walked into the room in which Carrie lay, and noticed that her hair was darker, more of a dull color than before.  
  
"Even now, she is undergoing a transformation."  
  
Taiitsu-kun floated through the doorway and over to the bed. "She is melding with her past life. She might keep her eyes, but her hair changes color. Or her skin might become pale, while she remains the same height."  
  
"What is keeping her alive? Her heart must be starving."  
  
"Magic. The magic of this place allows her to keep living, even if unconscious. And maybe some help from her respective god, Suzaku. She mustn't die just yet. Now come to bed."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
*Kouran sat in the corner of the room, her face hidden by her knees, refusing to look at anything. He couldn't control his actions.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'm sorry.I just can't."  
  
He was quiet for a while, feeling a rage brew within him. "You love him, don't you? Don't you?"  
  
She looked up at him, but it wasn't Kouran. It was Carrie.*  
  
He sat up in bed, the whole place was dark. Getting up to wander, he stumbled into a room. Someone was sleeping peacefully. Carrie? Stepping closer, he peered at the woman. No.  
  
He fell backwards and hit his head. When he could feel the pain, he knew it wasn't a dream. Had he seen Kouran there?  
  
"Hey, I heard you hit something. Anything wrong?"  
  
Chichiri looked up at Chiriko. "No, nothing, no da. I just tripped on something."  
  
"What's all the banging about?" Tasuki asked, stretching. Slowly, everyone filed into the room.  
  
"I was just checking on her," Chichiri said. "It's no big deal."  
  
"But you might want to consider this one."  
  
Amiboshi sat on the windowsill.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: "Hey everyone! Himitsu here. Well what is this deal Amiboshi is talking about? And why is Chichiri having dreams with Kouran and Carrie? Find out next chap. Ja ne!" 


	11. Past Lives Revealed

Disclaimer: *walks onto a stage with a room full of people* Hi. I'm Ice- Goddess, and I am a compulsive liar. I own Fushigi Yuugi and Tasuki. Tasuki, in the audience, "Like she said, she's a compulsive liar. She doesn't own Fushigi Yuugi or me. I belong to Yuu Watase." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
"What do you want?" Tamahome demanded.  
  
"Oh, nothing much. Just to give you an offer."  
  
"For what?" Hotohori demanded.  
  
"Only to save your precious Miko."  
  
Tasuki growled. "What's in it for you?"  
  
"Well," Amiboshi began, standing up, "I cannot get rid of the poison. I can, however, transfer it to another. I do not have a long time, though, so you must decide quickly."  
  
"I will," Chichiri volunteered, but Miaka put his arm down.  
  
"You can't," she said. "You are one of the seishi."  
  
"Then who?" Suki asked. Miaka looked at Amiboshi.  
  
"Me."  
  
"What?!" Tamahome exclaimed. "There is no way that you are going-you don't know what he'll do-"  
  
"But there is no other choice-"  
  
"My patience is trying," Amiboshi said.  
  
"It's settled. I will take the poison."  
  
"But-"  
  
Amiboshi began to play his flute. A purple cloud floated up from Carrie's body and hovered ominously over Miaka before pouring into her system. She closed her eyes and groaned, then fainted.  
  
Tamahome looked up to hurt Amiboshi, but he was nowhere in sight.  
  
Chichiri felt Carrie's forehead. It was warm, but not like a fever. She was still alive. He shook her gently to wake her up as Tasuki and Tamahome placed Miaka on the bed beside her.  
  
Carrie sat up and felt a wave of nausea. After not using her legs for a month, she had a hard time walking, so Chiriko led her out of the room as Miaka was checked. Fever and everything was there.  
  
"We must do what we must," Nuriko said glumly. "The coronation must take place as soon as possible so that Suzaku may heal her."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"So what's going to happen?"  
  
"Not yet, child. First you must understand your past life entirely. Do you know whom that is?"  
  
Carrie looked down. "I'm afraid not, sensei."  
  
"That is okay. You have met her already. It is Kouran."  
  
"What? Kouran?"  
  
Taiitsu-kun nodded. "Kouran has a few ties with some of the others, most closely to Chichiri, although Mitsukake's family died in the same flood as she. Kouran was betrothed to Houjun, who was Chichiri before he became a seishi." Taiitsu-kun closed her eyes. "It is a sad story. Hikou was Houjun's best friend at that time, but he, too, had fallen in love with Kouran. He figured he'd steal a kiss from her before her wedding. Houjun saw, but said nothing. However, Kouran called off the marriage, feeling impure and unworthy to marry him. He figured it was because she was in love with Hikou instead, and challenged him to a fight to the death. The flooding river nearby swept them up and away, and Houjun realized how much his friend meant. Grabbing him by the hand, he tried to save him, but one of the branches of a nearby tree was swept up by the current and gouged him in the eye, shocking his body and making him let go. He was the sole survivor of the village."  
  
Taiitsu-kun opened her eyes to find tears sliding silently down Carrie's cheeks. "I.I remember.Oh, Taiitsu-kun, I was awful, wasn't I?" Then she burst into quiet yet audible sobs as Taiitsu-kun comforted her.  
  
There was a knock on the wall.  
  
"Is something wrong, no da?"  
  
Carrie suddenly lifted to her feet and ran as far away as she could. Taiitsu-kun looked at the seishi with sadness.  
  
"There is something I must tell you."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A/N: no a/n this chapter. 


	12. Don't touch my sword.

Disclaimer: Yuu Watase wouldn't sell Fushigi Yuugi to me or Himi-chan claiming that we were too insane for our own good and therefore we do not own Fushigi Yûgi, thanks to our insane selves. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~ She ran and ran, nearly knocking over Kyra, and passing many other rooms until she was out of the house. ~Taiitsu-kun, I'm sorry, how can I show my face again? After what I've done.I can't put him through that again.~ She closed her eyes and ran through the trees, clouds over the sky everywhere, reliving that moment after.  
  
Falling endlessly. She thought she would die, or live forever in a never- ending pit, just falling. All was closing around her, and she felt something slow her, something, and take control of her voice.  
  
"Houjun!"  
  
Her friends banished Hikou, and ran fast as possible to the bottom, but that's all she saw.  
  
Through the rain, through the trees, she had to run away, to run from her past.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"W-what?"  
  
The mask was off. Taiitsu-kun lowered her head.  
  
"I knew it was you who would be chosen, but this came too soon. I still don't think there was enough time."  
  
Chichiri was clearly shaken. "Kouran.is alive?"  
  
"Within your miko, yes. Carrie has held onto this burden, but the others know that nothing was quite the same with her once you were brought back. Nor do they know the true cause of her fear of water. They merely assume that it was the near drowning in the well that brought both. But your coming strengthened the tie between Carrie and Kouran. And her nightmares.if you listen to her at night, she still dreams of that dreadful day."  
  
Chichiri bolted out the door, the way Carrie had left. He followed the footprints at first, but then pine needles covered her path, and he couldn't tell where she was.  
  
Gone. Again.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Augh! What am I doing?"  
  
Carrie stopped, far too late. Part of her wanted her to keep going, but she knew Miaka needed her, and now she was lost.  
  
~But I can't let him-No, I-My mind is ripping apart! Maybe a little while won't hurt, while I find where I am.~  
  
That finally calmed the two sides-for the moment. She got into position.  
  
"Sho!"  
  
From her shoulder, her arm reached in front of her, two fingers together. Within it appeared a mask framed with black hair appeared. Carrie placed it on her face and her whole appearance was changed. She grew about six inches, and her hair reached down to her knees. She was now dressed in a white dress with a black netting fashioned over certain parts. Carrie twirled around a bit, and then left.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"You guys take care, alright?" Nuriko said, smirking a bit. "We'll take care of Miaka."  
  
"Are you all sure that you want to go, no da?" Chichiri remarked as he looked at the four others were determined to follow. He had kinda wanted to go alone.  
  
"We're going. The more eyes, the better."  
  
Not quite the answer that he had wanted.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Do you think that she could be in here?"  
  
"I guess we'll just have to look, then," Tasuki told Mitsukake.  
  
Chiriko looked up at the structure. "It looks unstable, like it will collapse and the slightest provocation. We must be careful."  
  
The place was dark and dreary. Chichiri hoped that they could get out of there fast, but he had to find Kour-no, Carrie. She had to be somewhere.  
  
"Ack, there's something in the air-ah.ACHOO!"  
  
Everyone froze and glared at Tasuki. He smiled sheepishly and shrugged. They continued walking.  
  
Tasuki examined some gold pieces, but was careful not to touch them. Hotohori was looking around, when a boulder fell from above. He threw himself out of the way and hit the wall.  
  
There was a horrible sound, and the group witnessed the walls crumbling. Chichiri was knocked out cold, and the whole group was trapped in a space about seven cubic feet each way.  
  
"Now what?"  
  
Chichiri groaned.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Birds flew away from the terrible crash, twittering madly. Carrie looked toward the sound, where a large temple once stood. She would have stayed away, but for the fact that the magic mask faded and disappeared. Running towards the destruction, she tripped.  
  
An image of the others, trapped, flashed in her mind. They couldn't die. Why weren't they out, wasn't Chichiri with them?  
  
~What if.~  
  
No! She refused to think that. All of the pain that he had been through, all of it was her fault. She wouldn't allow him to die.  
  
As she came to the temple, it all was a mess. In the very center there was a large mound in which five people could easily fit. However, there were large, heavy stones that leaned together. The question was, how was she going to move one without the others collapsing? Unless.  
  
Both palms were held facing the stone heap, arms straight. She brought her forearms to her chest and then crossed them.  
  
"Yanagi."  
  
Climbing on top of a boulder, she cleared out all of the little pieces until it was just the three leaning segments. Taking two of them in her hands, she shoved them outward, then caught the third and pushed it back.  
  
No one was there. She felt a chill go up her spine. ~Oh, crap.~  
  
"Sho!" she yelled and disappeared just before Tasuki grabbed her. Chichiri disappeared moments later.  
  
Chichiri found himself in a forest. He was able to follow her because she was using his powers. At least, he could find the general area in which she was in. Pinpointing her was the problem.  
  
"Carrie!" he yelled and she winced from behind a tree. She wondered silently why he couldn't just go away and let her sort this out by herself, but she knew the answer to that.  
  
"Carrie!" her name was called again, but it was that of a young woman's this time. She looked cautiously around the tree and saw Miaka. But it was just a mask, she knew. Miaka was still in a coma. She closed her eyes and ignored the other part of her that wanted to run again. She leaned against the tree.  
  
"You don't need to use such ploys with me, Chichiri. I'll come."  
  
He stopped and took off the mask, becoming himself once again and looked around the tree. "I'm glad you're okay, no da. I was worried about you, no da."  
  
She shrugged off the hand he placed on her shoulder. Her eyes were cold, but she did not look at him as he drew the kesa around them and disappeared, on their way to the temple. Nuriko took her to her room as Tamahome congratulated him.  
  
"Um, and Chichiri?"  
  
"Yes, no da?"  
  
"Where are the others?"  
  
"The others, no da?" A look of realization came over the monk's face.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Chiriko and the others watched the sunset as they waited for Chichiri to bring them back. Hotohori shifted the position of his sword a little bit.  
  
"Hey!" Chiriko protested, the light shining in his eyes as he shoved the sword away. Hotohori's eyes flashed.  
  
"Don't touch my sword."  
  
"Both of you, cool it," Tasuki said. "I want us all to be here in one piece if Chichiri shows up. Otherwise, then you two can battle, just leave me out of it."  
  
Mitsukake leaned back. This was going to be a long night.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Carrie couldn't sleep well that night, and when she did, she had her nightmares. The dreams plagued her and never let her sleep for more than an hour. She woke up the day of the ceremony fatigued. Figuratively speaking, it took all of Nuriko's power to drag her out of bed. And even then, she held onto her pillow. Only when Suki dumped her glass of ice water on Carrie that she became truly animated. And mad.  
  
"Why the heck did you do that?" she yelled, going super deformed. Kyra and Suki exchanged glances.  
  
"I've never seen anyone do that before," Suki noted, and Kyra nodded. Carrie stopped and looked at herself. Just then the SD look wore off and she lost balance.  
  
"Oww, what was that?" she complained, rubbing the spot on which she landed. Tasuki smirked at his friends at the table.  
  
"Looks like we've got another 'foot tall soldier," he said and Carrie fell back onto her back in exasperation.  
  
"When's the ceremony already?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: This is the longest chapter yet! Well there won't be another one 'til Himi-chan sends the next chapter to me. Ja ne! I know Hotohori was a bit OOC with the whole sword bit but you gotta think that they'd be just a 'lil testy after being stuck in there for who knows how long. 


	13. Tomo the Homo

Disclaimer: If I owned Fushigi Yuugi I would be a millionare and wouldn't have to write these fic as fun as they are. If you were to sue me, all you would get would be a couple posters, some wall scrolls and a stack of comics. Please don't take away my manga. I would literally go crazy without it. More so than I am now. And I don't think society would appreciate that. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The temple was silent as they entered. A draft blew through one of the windows and twirled Carrie's hair. Every muscle tensed.  
  
A hand was laid on her shoulder, but she didn't need to look to know who it was. She relaxed slightly and continued walking, not pulling away.  
  
She was so nervous that her feet felt like lead, but she found strength somewhere to lift up one after another as she, along with her guardian, climbed the stairs. Finally, she could rest as she knelt at the altar and prayed. She didn't know the proper way, but she did what she was told and felt as if a part of her were being pulled away, a major burden upon her back. And when it was lifted, and she felt.calmed, and yet empty. Looking back, a ghost hovered over the aisle where she had come.  
  
"Kouran," Chichiri said, his one eye showing sadness. Carrie put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"I'm going to need you now, my friend," she told him. "Will you be here?"  
  
He knew what she was talking about. She wanted to know if he would leave, because of the things that she blamed herself for. Because of the things he did, that he caused. He gave her a quick hug. Taiitsu-kun stepped forward and with a quick motion opened the skin of her hand. She let it run onto the altar, which had a bit of a moat around it to catch all of it.  
  
The ghostly figure swooped forward on magnificent wings and touched the blood to its arm. Where the blood touched, the rest of it flew up and through. It flowed through its arms, through its head, through its legs. With one powerful stroke, it flew into Carrie.  
  
Chichiri caught her just before she fell. Taiitsu-kun closed her eyes.  
  
"They have become one."  
  
She was brought to a large, dark, secluded room and laid down in the center.  
  
"She will need some time alone, in order to sort out her new existence," Taiitsu-kun explained. "Otherwise, she might.go out of her mind, so to speak."  
  
They all left the room, Chichiri casting a final glance before closing the door.  
  
Hours passed before Carrie woke up again. With a major headache. Holding her head, she looked around into the pitch black darkness. "Hello?" she called, only for it to echo off of the walls. No one answered. She was alone.  
  
She paced, sat down, lay down, anything to keep her busy. First she was just waiting for them to decide it was time, figuring that they just didn't want her around people because the spirit might possess them or something. But it was not the case. She fell asleep again, and woke to the same, dark chamber.  
  
"I wish." she said, looking around, "I wish that there was someone else to talk to."  
  
A bit of red light, bright to her eyes after so many hours of darkness, formed into the small shape of a cat. As she played with the cat, she didn't notice the blue flash of light at the far end of the room, or the person who waited patiently for the right moment.  
  
Food was brought in each night while she slept, enough to last the day. She ate, slept, and wondered why the heck she was there.  
  
Until one night.  
  
She couldn't really tell if it was night or not, but she was getting sleepy when the figure finally came forward.  
  
"Nine years."  
  
Carrie jumped at the voice, not expecting anyone else to have been there.  
  
"Nine years I have been kept here against my will. You are like me," the man said.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"Me? I am Tomo. I was brought here after a promise of great things and now look at me. I'm stuck here, until now."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Carrie asked, standing up. "They wouldn't."  
  
"Wouldn't they?" he asked, then snapped his head around. "Hush."  
  
Miaka brought in the food, then the door closed again. Tomo spoke quietly to her again. "Now that there are two of us, we can overpower them and escape!"  
  
"What if they bring Nuriko?" Carrie asked, and Tomo smirked to himself. This was all too easy.  
  
"Nuriko is strong, but not fast. And I have some tricks up my sleeves as well. I can show the future of people, and that will distract him while we run. Would you like a demonstration?"  
  
Carrie was suddenly in a dungeon. A much older version of her was lying on a flat table, belly exposed. Hotohori unsheathed his sword and impaled her through the stomach. Chichiri cast some sort of black magic spell with the help of her friends. She managed to break free from one of the shackles when Nuriko grabbed that leg and broke it. Then she was tossed to the river.  
  
A shiver of cold ran up her spine. How could they? They wouldn't.  
  
"Why take the chance?"  
  
She looked up at her company. "I can read it on your face. They have been loyal friends up to now. But can't you see? They will turn against you in the end."  
  
She looked at him drawn to the aura of power he had. Almost like a seishi, but she had collected all of them, hadn't she?  
  
"All right. Tomorrow then?"  
  
He nodded. She curled up into a ball, but her spirit knew something was direly wrong. Unsettled and unseen, it floated up slowly out of her body. Up into a realm that she had been to before.  
  
There it was, right in front of her eyes. The river was flooding, and she saw two figures get swept away. But she couldn't pay attention to that now. She felt Seiryuu chi strong there, like the god.  
  
That was why the village was swept over. Seiryuu knew that Suzaku no Miko and a few seishi lived along the river, and he tried to wipe them all out, taking only the miko. It was Seiryuu itself that she felt.  
  
And now, her spirit sensed a weaker version of that power in Tomo. But why hadn't he killed her yet. Maybe she would be more valuable this way, as a bribe. They'd get whatever they wanted from the seishi, then kill her.  
  
One last thing, Carrie decided and walked to the room where Chichiri slept. Her translucent body shone with blinding radiance, awakening him. She had no voice in this form, but she mouthed the intruder's name, and pointed toward where she was kept. Using up the last of her saved up energy, she disappeared.  
  
Now came the hard part.  
  
Retreating into her body, she just hoped that Chichiri got her message. She rolled over on her back, eyes half closed in mock tiredness. She slowly pushed herself up.  
  
"Is something wrong?" Tomo asked, but Carrie picked up a hint of a sneer in his tone.  
  
"Yes something must be wrong."  
  
"And why do you say that?"  
  
Her eyes flashed. "Because for a minute there, I trusted you."  
  
And the trouble began.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
A/N: Tomo the Homo. What is he doing in Carrie's room? Well you'll find out next chap. And Tomo gets his ass whooped. 


	14. Differences and Freedom!

Disclaimer: Me no own, you no sue. Me be happy, you leave me alone. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~  
  
She could feel the spirit leaving her again, but not like the astral projection just before. The essence of her character, everything was inside the spirit, not the spirit being guided by it. Tomo tried throwing daggers at the now-motionless body, but Carrie created a barrier between the daggers and her body. She couldn't keep it up, otherwise she'd lose.  
  
He stopped suddenly, looking at where the knives should have hit. Carrie looked down as well.  
  
There was no body. Worried at first, she sensed another presence in the room, friend to her. She breathed a sigh of relief and began to grow. Larger and larger, until her wings touched both sides of the room and arched forward. Then she battled him the way she knew best.  
  
From the inside.  
  
Tomo looked around curiously. Where the heck did that miko go? He knew he should have killed her when he had the chance. That's when he noticed the strange warmth that was back in his head. It grew in intensity, when-  
  
He couldn't control his hands! He tried to turn them over, to flail them even, but nothing happened. Then his legs collapsed under him. In the end, he was only in control of his mind.  
  
Chichiri cautiously stepped out into view. The docile version of Tomo looked straight at him, and didn't even show a flicker of surprise. "Carrie?" he asked softly.  
  
Tomo's eyes darkened. "Let that be a lesson to you, Seishi of Seiryuu, the water dragon. Do heed it."  
  
A white mist began to flow from his body, forming the misty angel. She was ready to fight if necessary. But that wasn't the case, as he disappeared from view. Exhausted from the effort, the spirit fell back into her body, which remained unconscious, sleeping peacefully.  
  
Silk fabrics were wrapped around her as she awoke to the bright sunlight. What a nightmare. Too bad it was real, she thought as she rolled away from the light to try to get a bit more sleep.  
  
Chichiri was asleep, a book dangling from his hand, which was still limply clinging to it even in slumber. She gently took it and kept the place with her hairpin that she had found in the river, then set it on the nightstand. Taking an extra blanket from her bed, she delicately placed it over him and shut the curtains.  
  
The others were at breakfast. "IT'S ABOUT TIME YOU GOT UP!!!" Suki said. Yelled.  
  
"Hush," Carrie scolded and pointed up to the room where she had slept. Suki covered her mouth, then pouted.  
  
"Why are you so strict?"  
  
Carrie sighed. "I'm not, I just had a hard day yesterday."  
  
Kyra stood by her side. "Are you okay? You look.different."  
  
"Yes, I know."  
  
Her voice echoed with an authority that hadn't been there a week ago. "Your voice sounds different," Chiriko remarked.  
  
To that comment would have gone a snide remark before, but she merely smiled.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
A/N: Very short chapter, I know. But it'll get better. And... The fic is almost done! 3 more chapters to go. Reviews please? Hell, I'll take flames. They're good for marshmallows and hot dogs. Fun to play with too. 


	15. No da?

Disclaimer: *Bill Clinton voice* I did not have sexual relations with that man. *points to Chichiri who has a look of utter confusion* "Nani no da?" Himi-chan, *knocks out Ice-chan with a huge mallet from spandex space* "You aren't allowed to watch new reruns on T.V. until the fic is over." *looks at Ice* "Maybe I should have told her that before I knocked her out. Oh well." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ She ate breakfast and got dressed in a lovely black dress without disturbing Chichiri, who was still sleeping in her room. She walked to the forest, but not before telling someone where she was going, so there wouldn't be a panic. It would be a solitary practice of her magic, and since only Chichiri knew what had happened the night before, and probably Taiitsukun as well, no one had qualms about her leaving for a while.  
  
The forest was calm as she entered the clearing that ran by a stream. She placed her hand on the ground, and closed her hand around a sword that appeared in it. She held it up in front of her for a few seconds, gathering her breath, then here eyes flashed.  
  
She held it in a defensive position, then began twirling it in controlled, fluid motions. Above her head, around her body, she moved it in a ritual dance, an unexpected observer noticed. After fifteen minutes of this passed, she tossed it into the air, and it became a bird of fire. It dived at her and she dodged at the last second. Her hand was held outward, and the bird would dive at it. On the seventh dive, it streaked to the ground, becoming blacker as it closed in on the earth. Carrie grabbed at it and her hand closed around a black and silver rod, which she twirled in front of her. The bird appeared again and flew straight into the rod, only to disappear. Bringing it low to the ground, she spun around and around, bring it slowly upward, then let go. The rod continued to circle as it levitated. Wind blew, first a breeze, then a gale. A whirlwind of leaves surrounded her. Then the rod came back to her hand and the wind calmed, leaving her in a kneeling position, head down.  
  
Her breathing was heavy, but she seemed powerful to her undiscovered visitor. Strong was the soul, and it felt as if it could not be broken.  
  
Her eyes closed and she held the rod at arms length about halfway down. It wavered side to side, then stopped on a certain spot up in a large tree.  
  
"Chichiri, why were you watching me?" she teased as the staff sparkled away to nothing.  
  
"You left the house alone, no da. Even after what happened last night, no da. I was worried."  
  
Carrie raised her eyebrow. "What happened to the last 'no da?'"  
  
"No da?"  
  
He turned SD at this and the way he said it made her smirk at the very least. Finally, she laughed and fell back onto the grass.  
  
"The others thought you seemed happy today, no da. Suki was wondering if you had gotten into Tasuki's sake stash, no da. Tasuki even went to check."  
  
"I don't know, but even after last night.nah, you don't want to hear it."  
  
"What is it, no da?"  
  
She rolled over on her side. "Well, I've been depressed ever since I was a kid. I'd always try to make people happy, but that never did anything for me. Now, all of that is gone."  
  
"Carrie." He looked down at the object in his hand, then attempted to hop down from the tree, but regretted it as soon as he stepped off. "Aaahhh!" He closed his eyes and waited for impact.  
  
And waited.  
  
And waited.  
  
"Huh?" He looked up at Carrie, who was shaking her head.  
  
"Really, you should be more careful."  
  
"Uh, thanks, no da." Chichiri hopped down from her arms and resumed his normal height. "What was that for, no da?"  
  
"Well," Carrie began, sitting on a stump, "I've been taught that any expended energy will return to someone in the form it is used. If someone harmed another with it, then it will come back to them and harm them. If the person helped someone, then it would come back to help them. That was just a prayer dance, sort of a form of meditation?"  
  
Chichiri glanced at the thing in his hand again. "Um, Carrie, where did you find this, no da?" he said, holding up a small hairpin with a flower on it.  
  
"It was at the bottom of a river. My hand just kind of fell on top of it. Why?"  
  
"I thought you were afraid of rivers, no da."  
  
"Not then."  
  
"Ah."  
  
"So, why did you want to know?"  
  
"Just curious, no da?"  
  
"Oh really?"  
  
"Don't you believe me, no da?"  
  
"I have known you," Carrie began, "since childhood. Okay, there's a big time gap in the middle, but I know when you're holding something back."  
  
He held it up. "Don't you remember this then, no da?"  
  
Carrie closed her eyes. The flood, watching those two get swept away just before herself, finding something at the tree stump.  
  
"A wedding present?" she asked, eyes still half closed. Chichiri nodded.  
  
There was silence for a long while. Minutes seemed like hours as the two of them sat in silence. Finally, Chichiri broke the silence.  
  
"Ever fished before, no da?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
A/N: Ooh. Fishing. That's where I had to leave off didn't I? Oh well. 


	16. No da and Ta-da!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Fushigi Yuugi. That would be a sad thing except I'm glad I don't own Taiitsu-kun. *thoughtful expression* Though, it would be fun to scare people at school or maybe... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
"Where is Carrie already?" Suki asked.  
  
"Don't worry, Chichiri's with her. She'll be fine," Kyra stated importantly  
  
"Ooh, Chichiri. Why was he in her room last night?" Suki wondered aloud.  
  
"And what about that one time, before Miaka."  
  
The two girls looked at each other. "He has a crush on her!" they yelled in unison. Anyone that was in the surrounding rooms heard, and looked around confused.  
  
"Keep it taught, no da," Chichiri instructed, showing her how to reel in a fish. "Let it wear itself out, but if the line is too loose, the fish might get away, no da. Now since it's calmer, slowly reel it in and ta-da!"  
  
"First no da, then ta-da? You've gotta make up your mind," Carrie teased playfully.  
  
She was having a bit of a hard time with her fish, but it eventually slowed. As it drew closer, though, it began to splash, getting her soaked. Ignoring the water flying in her face, she reached down and picked it up. Maneuvering the hook out of its mouth, she set it back into the water and watched it swim off.  
  
For the first time she noticed that it was dark, but there was a bright full moon out. She shivered slightly as the wind blew her wet clothes and hair around. "We should be getting back," Carrie mentioned. "Miaka still needs us."  
  
"Was that why you were doing the prayer dance, no da?"  
  
"Yes. But there is only one way I know-"  
  
There was a sudden flood of the river. The first wave swept the banks of the river, and reached their feet. The second was much worse. A roaring beast, it swept down trees, leaving tree stumps. They were both swept up.  
  
Chichiri tried to grab hold of her but failed. He couldn't just leave her there, but how could he get to her?  
  
Carrie managed to climb up onto a rock as the river raged by. "Chichiri get out of here now, I'll be fine!"  
  
"I'm not leaving you!" he declared and managed to get to the rock that she stayed on. She closed her eyes.  
  
"Sorry about this," she mumbled and released her hold, balancing on her knees, arms across her waist and chest. "Sho!"  
  
Grabbing his hand, she sent him back to Taiitsu-kun and the others. Turning, she looked out and up forever, where a dragon roared louder than the river.  
  
"You won't take me this time, Seiryuu!" she yelled.  
  
A cold floor beneath him. Fresh, dry air above him, unlike the water-soaked atmosphere he had previously been in. Pushing his upper body from the ground, Chichiri looked around.  
  
Chiriko ran up to him. "Are you okay?" he asked, concerned. Chichiri closed his eyes.  
  
"Carrie. I-I failed." He slammed his fist into the ground. "Again! How could I let this happen?"  
  
"Again?" Nuriko asked. "What do you mean?"  
  
"In her past life.I was too hardheaded to see.then the flood."  
  
Tamahome knelt by him. "Chichiri, you aren't making any sense."  
  
"Carrie is Kouran! Can't you tell?" he yelled, the sound quickly fading to a quiet sob.  
  
Taiitsu-kun hovered at the entrance. "After all I have taught you, you still give up so easily?"  
  
Suki looked at Taiitsu-kun pleadingly. "Please, he needs rest."  
  
The creator paid the girl no heed. "Carrie is Suzaku no Miko! She won't survive long, but longer than most under Seiryuu's influence. You must hurry and save her, otherwise the balance between gods will be disturbed."  
  
Chichiri looked at Taiitsu-kun curiously. Then, leaning on his staff, he pushed himself up to stand and walked slowly outside, the other seishi in tow.  
  
The dragon laughed victoriously. The sound reverberated through the remaining trees to the mountains beyond. He batted at her with a stroke of his tail, narrowly missing her. She hopped from one rock to the next, and heard the water rushing faster. Ahead there was mist.  
  
Carrie nearly tripped over the hairpin that was lodged between two rocks. Pulling it out for no real reason, she kept hopping closer to the mist when she realized the truth. "He's herding me," she said aloud and dodged the tail again. She couldn't go back, though, because of the way he was moving his tail. Step by step, she felt herself being forced ahead into the unknown.  
  
"Carrie!"  
  
She looked at the riverbank to her left and saw everyone-all of the seishi and her two high-school friends. She glanced at them a second too long. Seiryuu's tail hit home and sent her flying.  
  
Over the edge of the waterfall.  
  
The seishi stopped at the corner and saw a small figure falling downward, ever downward. Suki's heart skipped a beat.  
  
"No, my friends," Carrie said quietly. The pin in her right hand began to pulse a bright red. As she fell, flashes came from her body and symbols appeared. First Nuriko's by her heart, then Hotohori's on her neck. So on until she had symbols on each of the corresponding parts of the body. The hairpin fixed itself in her hair and just as she was about to hit the water.  
  
A loud shriek pierced through the continuous bellow of the waterfall. A red blur swooped down and caught her. Suzaku.  
  
"Do you think I am a mere figment of your imagination now?" he asked by thoughts her as they rose up ever farther. The beat of his magnificent wings brought reassurance with every stroke, and the warmth seemed to cleanse her of being jittery after such a fall. He flew straight at the opposing god. "I have come. You will disturb my followers no more."  
  
"Do not take me as weak, Suzaku."  
  
"You do not make that mistake."  
  
Seiryuu disappeared just before Suzaku would have flown into him. Seiryuu no Miko, Carrie saw, fled. Suzaku flew over Mt. Taikyoku, spreading reddish sparkles across everything. It was beautiful, and to see the Nyan-Nyans joy, running about and playing happily, a sight that hadn't been seen since summer, two seasons ago. And far below, a woman with red hair stood.  
  
"Miaka!" Carrie called and waved. Miaka waved back. Suzaku turned back to the others and landed, letting Carrie run to her friends. Suki and Kyra got there first, and hugged her so tightly that she thought they were about to break through her ribcage. Carrie laughed and coughed for a while. When they were finally done, Chiriko and Nuriko came. Now she REALLY thought that her ribs would crack, but Nuriko was careful to be gentle with his strength. Chiriko was up by her shoulders.  
  
Suki and Kyra were still holding onto her when Kyra fell, bringing all five of them to the ground, gaining some laughs from the remaining five seishi.  
  
"Tamahome!" Carrie ran to him and hugged him as soon as she broke away. "Miaka.she's healed. Suzaku must have did it."  
  
He hugged her back. "Thank you." Then he stood up. "Well? Let's get back!"  
  
Now he led the gang running. Carrie was tired, though, and she slowly fell behind, only Chichiri staying with her.  
  
"Are you okay, no da?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, fine," she panted. "Just keep going, I want to try something."  
  
He reluctantly followed the others. After a few minutes, he looked for her, but saw only a shadow. Looking up, he saw.  
  
"An angel, no da?"  
  
Carrie chuckled to herself and flew on until she heard him call to her. She turned back, wondering what he was yelling.  
  
"What about me, no da?" Chichiri called, flailing his SD arms. Carrie turned around and passed him again, this time diving low to the ground. Reaching out, she picked him up and put him on her shoulder and sharply gained altitude again. She soared over the others as they reached the beautiful palace.  
  
Taiitsu-kun appeared as Tamahome ran to Miaka and Carrie and Chichiri landed. "My child," she began, addressing Carrie, "You have done the otherwise impossible. We are safe for now, we have a true miko, and you.you have found your past."  
  
Carrie felt Chichiri draw closer to her, but tried not to show it.  
  
"You have undergone a change which none could imagine, and handled it fairly well."  
  
Carrie looked down, remembering the time after she discovered who she was before.  
  
"And you have saved one of our own."  
  
Miaka placed a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Thus, there will be a ball for celebration. It will be ready shortly. And Carrie."  
  
Carrie looked up. Miaka gave her a short squeeze. "Thank you," she said, finishing for Taiitsu-kun. Tamahome took his wife into his arms then and the two of them walked away together. Suki and Kyra ran into the palace behind them, wanting to try on all of the dresses. The rest of them filed into their rooms slowly, talking away.  
  
Carrie found in the wardrobe a simple white dress. It was all that was needed. Picking out a white shawl to go with it, she walked outside.  
  
She stepped into the first snowfall of the season. The snow was everywhere, on trees, on the ground, on the flowers. It was beautiful. Especially since she had rarely seen snow back home.  
  
~Back home.~  
  
Looking around, she wondered if she would ever get back. She also wondered if she would go should the chance come. ~It was so new here.and yet, it seemed more familiar to her than back in Phoenix. Funny~, she thought,~ Suzaku is somewhat like a phoenix, and his miko is from a city bearing that name.~  
  
"Carrie?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
Carrie turned to look at Chichiri. He was dressed in black, the mask off of his face. He looked serious, but his single open eye had that familiar smile hidden behind it. Carrie immediately felt her cheeks turn red and looked back across the magical mountain.  
  
"The ball is starting, no da," he mentioned. "Aren't you coming, no da?"  
  
"Um, yeah, I just.It rarely snows back where I'm from so I came out to see it."  
  
"Taiitsu-kun." Chichiri seemed reluctant to speak, "Taiitsu-kun said that she knew a way that you might be able to go back."  
  
Carrie's eyes lowered. From nowhere an orb came and was placed into her hand.  
  
"Whenever I enter someone's body, I absorb some of their power for later use. This can only be used once, but now is the time."  
  
Taking him by the wrist, she placed his hand on the orb. She closed her eyes in concentration and-  
  
Chichiri found something big hurtling toward him. It went right through him.  
  
"This is my home."  
  
Carrie was standing right across from him. He looked up to see huge buildings, some windows with light, some without. Another one of those monstrosities blew through him.  
  
"What are those, no da?" he asked.  
  
"Cars. As people in this world do not have magic, we have found other means to get places quicker. Don't worry, no one can hear, feel, or know of your existence here. It is a mere illusion."  
  
Chichiri watched as everything sped up and the sun rose. It returned to the regular pace, but he found himself at a different place.  
  
"This is where I go to school," she said, looking up at the bleachers, where the shape of a horse was painted along with letters. They walked to her classroom, where she showed him briefly what type of life she led. They followed another Carrie home, one that interacted with others but knew nothing of her observers. They went to the arcade, the mall, then home. The illusion Carrie walked straight up to her room and began blasting Slipknot. She pulled out a white bottle and a jug of water.  
  
"That bottle is generally a medicine, used to dull pain and lower fevers. However, taking more than you're supposed to can lead to disorders or death."  
  
"How many is the maximum you're supposed to take, no da?" Chichiri asked, eyeing the amount that the illusion Carrie poured into her hand. It was pretty much full.  
  
"Two of the little pills."  
  
That was more than two pills. Maybe twenty. Chichiri reached out to stop her when he recognized the scenery. They were back at Mt Taikyoku.  
  
"You tried to kill yourself, no da?" he asked, astonished.  
  
"Many times," Carrie answered. "I was constantly depressed, not to mention my parents never thought I did well enough. It often became too much for me. But I haven't been depressed since I came here. So come on, let's enjoy the ball."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~  
  
A/N: Yay! One more chap. to go and then... I'll tell you later. 


	17. To go or not to go? That is the question...

Diclaimer: *screaming at no one* I DON'T OWN FUSHIGI YUUGI! NOW LEAVE ME ALONE! *gets taken away by men in clean white coats* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
Suki looked around. There sure were a lot of Nyan-Nyans dancing. Kyra was dancing with one of them, making her laugh at the idea each time. But she didn't have anyone to dance with. Tamahome was with Miaka, Nuriko was busy somewhere, Hotohori was looking at himself in the mirrors, Chichiri had gone to get Carrie, Tasuki had gotten into his sake stash again, and Mitsukake was way too tall for her. As for Chiriko, who knew? She hadn't seem him since they went to their rooms.  
  
"Why don't you dance?" Kyra asked as she twirled by, the Nyan-Nyan giggling. "It's fun."  
  
"Um, no."  
  
"Aw, why not, my five-foot friend? The Nyan-Nyans are your perfect size!"  
  
She spun away from the slap that had come her way.  
  
"Well, if not with them, why not Chiriko?"  
  
Suki looked around. "Where is he?"  
  
"Over there by Mitsukake. He looks lonely."  
  
"Well.he's kind of young."  
  
"He's fourteen, two years younger than you. Not to mention you both are quite intelligent." Kyra said the last two words with a sophisticated tone.  
  
"Fourteen?"  
  
"Yeah, see how much you know. Just talk to him, get to know him, you'd be surprised."  
  
Suki glanced at him.  
  
"Not to mention he's just your height," Kyra said quickly and waltzed away before Suki could counter.  
  
While Suki was raging at Kyra and Kyra laughing it off, Chiriko noticed them. Kyra was happily dancing with a Nyan-Nyan, but Suki.seemed less than pleased. She leaned up against the wall and sighed.  
  
"Suki?"  
  
She looked at him. "Hey, Chiriko," she said brightly. "What are you doing?"  
  
"Nothing, I'm just bored. What about you?"  
  
"Same. Kyra's trying to get me to dance with a Nyan-Nyan."  
  
He laughed. "There's Chichiri!" he exclaimed and pointed.  
  
"And Carrie," Suki added as the two of them walked in. Chichiri held out his hand and Carrie took it, then they began to dance. Suki sighed enviously.  
  
"Those two.they make such a great couple," Suki said, watching them jealously.  
  
"Yeah, well, I'm glad that he's found someone he likes," Chiriko said. "He's had so much sadness in his past."  
  
"And Carrie.had problems at home," Suki added. The two of them sat in silence for a little while.  
  
"Suki." Chiriko began. "I, um.would you like to dance?"  
  
"Sure," she replied and noticed a wink from Kyra as she danced by again.  
  
After a few more songs, Taiitsu-kun made an announcement.  
  
"Tonight must be the night you five from the other world must decide whether or not you stay here."  
  
"Not one to give us much notice," Kyra grumbled. "But I'm tired of this field trip. I'm going back."  
  
"Miaka? Taka?"  
  
"We're going."  
  
"Suki."  
  
"Love it here, but I got a life back home."  
  
"Carrie?"  
  
Carrie looked around at the faces watching her. The others wanted to go back to their families, but in that moment she realized that her real family was beside her.  
  
"You're coming.aren't you?" Kyra asked. Carrie looked at the floor and shook her head.  
  
"But you have to!" Suki exclaimed and grabbed her. "I won't go without you!"  
  
"Suki, look at me," Carrie said. "Look at this. Back there.I'm bound to succeed in one attempt.here.it's gone. I'm sorry."  
  
Tears flooded from Suki's eyes as Carrie hugged her. "Suki, you have a life back there, a nice, long one. I don't."  
  
"Come on, Suki, she ain't gonna budge," Kyra said sharply. More so than either of them had heard. Suki looked at her friend and walked away. Taiitsu-kun opened a portal, and they all stepped into it in single file.  
  
And they were gone.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
A/N: It's finally over. Or is it? Poor Suki. Having to leave Carrie there. But she'll she her again. Shh... Don't tell anyone this but- *WHACK* Himitsu, "Baka! You can't tell them that. Then there wouldn't be any suspense." But, there might be the chance that there will be omakes. That's all I can say, or else Himi-chan will hit me again. Ja ne! P.S. What would happen if someone tried to make a movie of this? Think on that and you might get your answer. 


End file.
